


Nightjar

by stillskies



Category: Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-03-04
Updated: 2012-03-04
Packaged: 2017-11-01 03:40:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/351574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stillskies/pseuds/stillskies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Celes is cold and empty and everything that Fai was trying to forget.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted 01-18-2007
> 
> This was started **before** Acid Tokyo and the Celes arc. This is **not canon-compliant**. This is my attempt to explain things in a little more detail, and may end up converging with canon eventually, but there are no guarantees.

There were demons in every world- real and imaginary alike- but such creatures of lore and fairy tale did not frighten him. Rather, demons borne from the minds of people did. Demons that lived in memory, in action, and in dreams. They could not kill him, but they could cripple him, strip him of any desire to move forward. They trapped him in an impenetrable cage, one made of intangible substance. It became suffocating, forcing him to relive things that he’d rather forget. In essence, demons of a person’s making were the most terrifying.

Fai knew, however, of the cage’s only weakness; but for those foolish enough to be trapped in it, the weakness happened to be nigh exploitable. For to defeat the ties that bound a person to such confinement one would have to face the memories that clung to them, face them and acknowledge them, and that would always be something that he would be loath to do.

The cage that bound him was made of light, laughter, tears, and screams. Memories that he couldn’t banish, even with the aid of his magic.

So he ran. He jumped worlds, selfishly joining Syaoran’s group, putting them all in danger when he woke up, because Ashura would wake up, and he would hunt Fai down. He ran because he couldn’t face his king, face the disappointment, but even worse than that, the understanding and forgiveness that would accompany it.

He never wanted to return to his world, but in the back of his mind, he always knew that they would. After all, Syaoran needed the feathers, and Mokona guided them to the shards of memory. Eventually, they would end up in Celes, and he would have to face the man he turned on and the ghost of the man he killed.

As expected as his return was, he looked around the snowy landscape in fear. He saw a cluster of people cowered next to a tree, and the mask he had worn at Ashura’s side slid into place. His posture straightened, and the look that Kurogane gave him did not go unnoticed. He merely turned to his companions and forced a smile on his face.

“Welcome,” he announced, “to the country of Celes.”

+++

Fai could not remember the trek to the castle clearly. Faces blurred together in varying degrees of fear and shock. Each world had its own tale to scare its children; the stories told to the young in Celes were of him.

The bodies that he had left strewn along the courtyard and antechamber were gone. Gleaming white snow- the brightness of his own memories- mocked him. I am pure, it taunted maliciously, you are tainted. He dragged his feet, disrupting the sterile tranquility of the surroundings, and entered the castle.

He could hear the echoing footsteps of his companions behind him, but his focus lie in a room further away. 

A gasp pulled his attention away from the room, and his head twisted quickly to the side. “Miyuki-san,” he greeted, though no warmth presented itself in his tone.

“Fai-sama!” the servant squeaked. “I hadn’t known you had returned. If I had, I swear-” Her apology quickly cut off when she spotted the three behind him. “You have guests,” she whispered. “I shall prepare their rooms at once.” She bowed and quickly disappeared down the corridor.

“Miyuki-san!” Fai called. Miyuki reappeared. “If you could please show them to the guest quarters. You know where I’ll be if you need me.” He turned to his companions. “She’ll take you to your rooms. You can rest until dinner.”

He walked away, doing his best to block their faces from his mind, Kurogane’s inquisitive stare in particular. 

Fai knew the ninja didn’t ask questions unless it pertained to himself or the well being of the children. He would be facing an inquisition later, and he knew that the other man would finally be getting the answers Fai had been so careful to avoid.

He walked down corridor after corridor, finally emerging in the throne room where Ashura lay submerged in crystal blue water. Wisps of pale yellow covered the top, swirling in a symmetrical pattern. He touched the covering and reached out with his magic. 

The energy that made up the foundation for his arts was rooted in ice, and his arm tingled where the magic flowed. He murmured a few words and a pale blue glow surrounded the rapidly changing the covering. A body formed from the soft yellow material, and Fai smiled.

“Hello, Chii,” he greeted.

The young woman in front of him blinked for a moment before running and throwing herself at him. “Fai!” she squealed. “You came back!”

Fai patted her on the head and gently pried himself from her grip. “Not by choice, I assure you,” he commented dryly. “How has he been?”

Chii perched at the edge of the pool and gazed into the blue depths. “There isn’t any change. He’s still asleep.” Her eyes shifted to peer into Fai’s. “Will he wake up soon, Fai?”

A shout stopped him from having to respond, and he turned around in time to see Kurogane entering the room, followed closely by an irate Miyuki. 

“I told you, Kurogane-san, that you cannot bother Fai-sama,” she growled.

“Che,” Kurogane snorted. He glared at Fai, and the mage felt that meaningless smile fix itself onto his face. 

Miyuki sighed, clearly exasperated, and turned to Fai. “I apologize, Fai-sama, but your guest would not heed my warning.” Her tone of voice made it clear just what she thought of Kurogane.

“It seems Kuro-kichi can’t behave,” he remarked. “Did you need something, Kuro-puu?”

“Stop calling me by those damned names,” Kurogane growled.

“Who is he, Fai?” Chii asked, wrapping her arms around the blonde man. She placed her head on the mage’s shoulder and bit her lip. “Is he one of the bad men that you told me were after Ashura-ou and Taishakuten-sama?” 

“No, Chii, Kuro-tan isn’t a bad man,” he assured her. “He is one of the people I traveled with.” He returned his attention to Kurogane. “I suppose you wish to talk?” he inquired wryly. Kurogane nodded. “Well, I have a few things to check on, but if you wish to accompany me, we can talk as we go.”

Kurogane strode across the room, stopping only when he arrived at the lip of Ashura’s prison. He peered into the depths and growled, “Is that him?”

Fai upped the charm and brightness of his smile before replying, “Is that who?”

The dark haired man whirled around to face him. “You damned well know who,” he hissed angrily. “When are you going to stop playing these ridiculous games?”

“Such language, Kuro-rin, should not be used in front of two beautiful ladies.” The statement, while spoken genially, held warning. He may not have wished to return to his home world, but these were his people, and he’d be damned if anyone would speak that way in front of them. Certain etiquette had to be upheld in front of the help, and Chii’s mind hadn’t progressed past that of an intelligent ten year old. 

Kurogane did not respond, but his eyes danced with words unspoken. His warning had gotten through. Fai turned to Miyuki and instructed her to take Chii to her quarters, and to prepare a meal for his guests. Miyuki bowed, all the while glaring reproachfully at the ninja. 

Weariness flooded his body and he fought not to close his eyes. There were still things to be done, he knew, and questions to answer. Kurogane would not be placated with half-hearted promises of explanations at a later date. He beckoned to his companion and sauntered towards the door. “You coming, Kuro-chi?” he called over his shoulder.

Echoing footsteps in the silent room was the only answer to his question.

+++

Fai led Kurogane to through the corridors confidently before stopping abruptly in front of a heavy oak door. His gaze flicked towards his silent companion before placing his hand on the center. He pushed magic into the door, fighting to keep from grimacing. Pinpricks of cold erupted through his arm, and he mentally cursed the Dimension Witch for her price. He felt his arm quickly losing feeling, but he waited patiently for the door to recognize the signature of his magic.

Finally, the door opened to admit them, and Fai stepped inside and cradled his arm to his body. He surveyed the room quickly, wrinkling his nose at the stale smell that permeated the small room. He could see a light dusting of ice adorning the desk in the corner, and frost enveloped the sofa.

Logs sat in the fireplace as though awaiting someone to light them. He briefly remembered placing them there before hurrying off to meet with the king and his advisor.

Kurogane moved without acknowledging Fai, and set about starting the fire. The mage smiled bitterly, suddenly seeing himself in the ninja's place while Ashura and Taishakuten discussed strategy. He shook off the memory, sternly reminding himself that all of those memories were in the past.

He made his way to the desk, lighting the lamps along his way. It would take a while before the heat of the fire chased away the chill of the office, but Fai paid it no mind. He touched his numb arm to the desk and released the spell he had placed on it before leaving. His arm tingled and he winced, rubbing his tricep with his free hand. He sat down in the plush chair and sighed. Paperwork lie in neat stacks in the corner of his desk and a map of Celes, marked in blue and red ink, took up the center. He traced the outline of the map with the tip of his finger, fighting the thoughts that tried to flood his mind.

Everything remained just as he had left it.

The sharp crack of ice and a soft curse drew his attention from the map to Kurogane. He plastered a smile on his face, slightly relieved to find it easier than he thought it would be to slip back into the mask. "You should be careful, Kuro-pu," he chided gently. "You could break the sofa."

Kurogane glared but remained silent. Fai averted his eyes, opting to stare at the wall instead. A picture hung there, one Ashura had commissioned, and he smiled as he remembered telling his king that his office belonged to him, and that, under any circumstances, did he want paintings irrelevant to his station hung on his walls. Ashura had smiled while Taishakuten had shook his head, replying that Ashura-ou would get his way, one way or another, and didn’t Fai want to make his king happy?

The next day, they had posed for the commissioned piece. There were three of them, one in each of their offices, and Fai had fervently thanked the gods that magic would be used to replicate the first painting for his and Taishakuten’s offices. After all, standing still had never been a strength of his.

Kurogane’s gruff voice shattered through his musings, bringing him back to the present. “Who are the other guys in the painting?” he asked.

Fai grinned broadly. “Jealous, Kuro-pi?” 

The ninja rolled his eyes and pointedly ignored the question.

The mage sighed. “The tall one with dark hair is Ashura-ou, and the other one is Taishakuten-sama,” he answered. “Taishakuten-sama was Ashura-ou’s advisor.”

Fai didn’t miss Kurogane’s frown and could already sense the next question, but he remained silent.

“What position do you hold?” Kurogane queried.

Kurogane’s phrasing did not go unnoticed, and he frowned. “I held the position of Strategy Tactician,” he replied smoothly, purposely emphazing the past tense. He had abandoned his position the moment he traded Ashura’s mark in order to run.

Either his companion ignored the beginning of Fai’s answer or the wording went over his head. Fai suspected it to be the former. 

“So you were in charge of what exactly?” the ninja continued, and Fai wished that Kurogane would leave it alone.

Rather than answering the question, he beckoned Kurogane closer, pointing to the map on his desk. “This,” he began, “is a map of Celes. Ignore the marks everywhere, as Ashura-ou and I were debating the best entry point for a surprise attack.” He watched Kurogane’s face for traces of anything- surprise, anger, fascination- but the schooled features revealed nothing. “We can use this to search for Sakura-chan’s feather.”

He turned his attention to the pile of papers, rifling through them until he came to one of importance. He held up the sheet triumphantly. “I knew it was in there somewhere,” he murmured under his breath. He placed the paper on the table and began reading it over, searching the prose for loopholes or constraints. Satisfied when he found none, he beamed at Kurogane. “This will allow you all free passage through Celes to look for Sakura-chan’s feather.”

Kurogane narrowed his eyes. “Won’t having you with us accomplish the same thing without having to carry a piece of paper?” he asked suspiciously. “And how do I even know what it says? For all I know, it could say that we’re idiots or something.”

Fai pouted. “Doesn’t Kuro-tan trust me?” He opened his eyes wide and batted his eyelashes. When the dark haired man remained unmoved, he dropped the façade and spoke seriously. “Having me with you won’t accomplish anything, unless you think that having people running and hiding at the sight of me will aide us in our search.”

His companion frowned. “Why would they run from you? You’re an idiot, but you’re mostly harmless.”

A sickly smile formed on Fai’s lips. “I’m sure if you ask around, you’ll find out why.” 

Before Kurogane could question his evasion, he continued. “We should check on Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun. It’s almost time for dinner, and I don’t want them to get lost.” With that, he stood and strode toward the door.

Kurogane followed, and Fai knew that he would have to be careful around the ninja. He couldn’t keep evading questions and changing subjects forever.

+++

Fai left Kurogane to fetch the children while he stopped by his room to change. He opened the door and entered, shrugging off his coat and placing it neatly on his bed. The bedclothes had been changed and a fire had been started. Miyuki must have been here, he thought.

The dark colors in his closet mocked him, reminding him of his position. The white uniform he’d been traveling in denoted a different office he held, one that he’d not told Kurogane. After all, the King’s Mage and Strategy Tactician were, in essence, the same position. Ashura had told him that the darker colors of a strategist were more dramatic than the pale clothing of a mage, and had his wardrobe prepared appropriately.

He shook his head, futiley attempting to focus on anything but the man lying in a pool of water not two hundred feet away.

He took one of the black uniforms from his closet and looked it over. The one in his hand had designs in various shades of blue trailing down the sleeves and the length of the trousers. He dressed quicky, donning the uniform and placing his white outfit with his jacket. He’d have to remember to get Miyuki to wash it. He preferred the lighter color to the darker ones.

Leaving his room, he navigated the corridors and appeared in the banquet hall. Kurogane, Mokona, Sakura, and Syaoran were already seated. Sakura chatted animatedly with Miyuki, while Syaoran appeared to be in deep thought. Kurogane attempted to rid himself of Mokona, much to the creature’s amusement.

Fai smiled and took a seat next to Kurogane. Plucking Mokona off the ninja, he playfully scolded the creature. “You know better than to disobey Kuro-puppy,” he chided mockingly.

Mokona adopted a guilty expression which would have been believable if not for the giant grin. “Kuro-pipi looked lonely,” the creature explained. “Kuro-daddy always gets lonely without Fai-mommy.”

“What was that, you damn manju?” Kurogane screeched.

Fai and Mokona ignored Kurogane’s outburst. “I see,” Fai replied in mock seriousness. He snuggled against the ninja. “If that’s true,” he continued thoughtfully, “maybe Kuro-rin should stay in my room.” He smiled lasciviously at the struggling ninja. “I’ll make it worth your while.”

“Would you just shut up?” Kurogane bellowed. He reached for Souhi, and growled when his hand met air.

“Hyu!” Fai exclaimed. “Kuro-sama looks angry.”

“Maybe he’s not getting enough calcium,” Mokona interjected.

“No manners,” Fai heard Miyuki mutter.

“Who has no manners?” Sakura asked, expression puzzled.

The mage watched in mild amusement as the maid straighened in shock. Fai caught her eye and she paled. He smiled, saying thoughtfully, “Miyuki-san’s right, Kuro-pon.”

“Right about what?” the ninja ground out.

“Kuro-kichi has no manners,” he sing-songed, chuckling when Mokona joined in.

Kurogane shot up from his seat and Mokona pranced away, the ninja hot on the creature’s heels. Sakura looked adorably befuddled, Miyuki looked about to faint, and Syaoran glanced at Fai, completely confused.

“Did I miss something, Fai-san?” Syaoran asked.

Fai shook his head. “Kuro-pu is just being Kuro-tan.” His answer, it seemed, didn’t help Syaoran’s confusion, as the boy looked more uncertain that before.

Miyuki hurriedly excused herself under the pretence of bringing out dinner and Fai frowned. He knew that the maid had expected punishment for talking out of turn. The girl probably sat in the kitchen, fearing the wrath of a man that had disappeared. He briefly entertained the thought of seeking her out and allaying her worries when Chii entered.

She wore an off-the-shoulder dress in an icy blue and a lacy choker that Fai recognized as a present from Taishakuten. He schooled his expression into a warm smile, pushing back the grimace that wanted to form.

Chii had looked around the room, taking an uncertain step forward. Her eyes lit upon Fai and she ran forward, curling her body around his. “Good evening, Chii,” he greeted, patting her on the head.

The young woman looked up at Fai. “Good evening, Fai!” she chirped. “Who are they?”

Kurogane, who had tired of chasing Mokona, returned to his seat. He glanced at Fai and nodded at Chii. 

“These,” the mage began, “are my traveling companions.” Fai watched as Chii looked at each in turn, and he supplied their names for her. 

She greeted each in turn, smiling unsurely. When Sakura complimented her dress, Chii beamed, launching into an explanation of how she got the dress. Sakura listened attentively, asking questions without hesitation, and Chii climbed off of Fai’s lap, taking the vacant seat next to Sakura on the other side of the table.

Fai chuckled and watched the two girls chat. A moment later, Miyuki entered and began setting the food on the table.

+++

Sleep came easily that night, as did dreams. He tossed and turned in his bed, trying to dissipate the images in his mind to no avail.

_Taishakuten lay on the ground, blood pouring from an unknown wound, and Fai fell to his knees next to him. He held onto the lifeless body, tears streaming down his face. The blood soaked into his black robes, making the fabric darker._

_Ashura stood nearby, face pale, on hand clutching the arm of his thrown. “Is he okay?” the king choked out._

_“I didn’t mean for this to happen,” Fai sobbed quietly. “He should have blocked it, he always blocked it…”_

_He stared blankly at the body clutched against him and screamed._

He sat straight up, forcing his breathing to become regular. He hadn’t had that dream in months. He shivered despite the heat of the room and got out of bed. He pulled on a robe and quietly left his room, heading toward the throne room.

Moonlight streamed in from the open windows and a freezing wind wound around his body, wracking his body with cold. The well of water gleamed in the pale light, and Fai stepped onto the edge of the pool and let his robe flutter to the floor. Taking a deep breath, he dove into the water.

The water slid against his skin, coaxing goosebumps to rise on his arms and legs. Determined, he kicked his legs harder, propelling himself to the bottom of the pool where Ashura slept.

He reached the ice coffin and easily slipped past the magic barrier. Panic set in at being enclosed in the coffin with Ashura, but he quickly pushed it away. He placed his head on his king’s shoulder, and sleep immediately claimed him.

This time, his sleep was dreamless.

+++

Water stretched before his eyes and confusion muddled his thoughts. Ashura lying next to him brought the previous night flooding through his mind even as he deftly left the icy confines and swam away. His head broke through the surface and took a deep breath of air before grabbing onto the edge and pulling himself out.

His robe hung in front of his face, and when he took, Kurogane stood glaring at him. Fai tried to smile, but he knew that wouldn’t change anything. “Good morning, Kuro-pon,” he said quietly.

Kurogane remained silent, giving Fai enough time to put his robe on before grabbing his wrist and pulling him forward. “What the hell were you trying to do?” he whispered harshly. “Drown yourself?”

He smiled thinly. “And if I was?” he countered. “I notice you didn’t try to save me.”

The ninja suddenly flung him away and Fai backpeddled to regain balance. “We don’t have time to play your petty games,” the ninja growled. “Whatever the hell your problem is, get over it.”

Fai watched as Kurogane whirled around and stalked out of the room. “If only it were that easy, Kuro-pi,” he whispered into the empty room.


	2. Chapter 2

Syaoran announced at breakfast that he wanted to canvas the city for information. “Mokona isn’t sure if there is a feather, but maybe someone in town will have noticed something odd,” he finished.

Fai smiled. “That sounds like a good idea, Syaoran-kun. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to go with you.”

Sakura frowned. “Why not, Fai-san?”

He smiled down at her and ruffled her hair. “I have some things to take care of here, Sakura-chan. I’m sure that Kuro-tan and Syaoran-kun will be able to find all the information that we need so we can find your feather.” He turned his attention to Syaoran, purposely looking past Kurogane to address the young man. “Kuro-rin has a map and traveling documents. If anyone hassles you, show them the documents.”

“Fai-san,” Syaoran began. “Are you sure you won’t come with us?”

Fai shook his head. No. There was no way he could go with them. He’d hinder their search rather than aide it. Besides, here, he could search for the feather throughout the palace. “I’m sure. There’s a stack of paperwork taller than Kuro-sama that I have to go through,” he added.

“If you’re sure,” the young man said slowly.

“I’m sure,” Fai asserted. “Now, you should get going. Chii will be your guide for the day.”

He accompanied the group outside and waved them off before returning to the castle. He strode past Mizuki, past his room, past Ashura-ou’s room. He paused in front of the last door in the corridor and took a deep breath before pushing through the barriers meant to keep people out.

Barriers that he had made to keep everyone but himself and Ashura-ou out.

Taishakuten’s room hadn’t changed since his death- Fai had seen to that. Where Fai’s own room had been decked out in blacks and dark purples, Taishakuten’s had been decorated in whites and silvers. He idly ran his finger along the back of a chair as he made his way further into the room.

He paused by the bed and memories assaulted him. He staggered to a stop and leaned wearily against the bedpost. Now was not the time to remember, he told himself firmly. Resolutely, he continued past the bed and stood in front of the ornate desk by the window.

Sitting gingerly in the dust covered chair, he placed his hands on the desktop. He could feel the texture of the wood against his hands and his fingers instinctively began to trace the grooves that had worn into the grain after years of use. 

Minutes passed and the silence grew oppressive. This room, of all rooms, should never void of sound, he thought sadly. He quickly drew away from such thoughts and brought his left hand to the handle of the desk drawer. Inside, he knew, lay Taishakuten’s memoir.

Cool leather met his palm and he slowly pulled the item from its resting place.

He stared at the cover for a moment, lost in another memory, remembering the feel of the cool leather warmed by the sunlight, before he shook his head. He stood and made his way through the room and towards the door.

He paused with his hand on the handle and looked back. The emptiness of the room surrounded him, choked him, and he suddenly felt the need to flee. He threw open the door rushed into the hallway, Taishakuten’s memoir grasped firmly in his hand.

His breath rushed past his lips in harsh pants and he fought to gain control of himself. He glanced at the leather journal in his hand and prayed that soon, soon he could leave.

+++

He had found nothing of use written in the pages of Taishakuten’s memoir. Nothing on the location of what they needed or even why it was to be disposed of. He knew that if he searched Ashura-ou’s room, he would quite likely find what he desired, but his king’s room proved to be too much for him. Within seconds of entering, he had fled the richly decorated room and taken sanctuary in his own.

There wasn’t much else he could do, unless he dared to use stronger magicks than he had already employed.

Magic, he knew all too well, didn’t adhere to restrictions such as words. He could coaxe energy from the wind with the right pitch of sound, or from the water with precise movement of his hand. He could search for an object of magical origin with his thoughts, scour the surrounding area and lands beyond his immediate reach, with nothing but a clear picture of what he needed to find. Such magic, he found, were consequently the hardest to master.

There were reasons that people used spells and incantation, props and ceremony. Wild magic, such as what he had once been capable of doing, brought destruction if one couldn’t control them.

He had once been the master of elemental magic, of all magic, but he gave up that claim with the tattoo.

By all means, he knew that he could probably control them now, but with Kurogane, Sakura, Syaoran, Chii, and Mokona searching the city, it would be at great risk. Something, he was certain, would go wrong and more of the city that had once flourished would come to a devastating end.

No. Better he chance Ashura’s room again rather than employ the magic at his command.

He ran a gloved hand through his hair and continued to look at his map. There were only so many places that Taishakuten would allow the feather to be placed in regards to the safety of their people. The city itself wouldn’t house the object he searched for. Despite the limited magicks of the people below, something with such presence would be quickly found.

And its magic would have called to Fai if it were that close.

The stiff leather of his chair creaked as he stood. He left his room and started to walk, finding himself in the throne room after a few moments. He sighed in defeat and sat at the edge of the pool, staring down into the crystal depths.

Ashura still lay at the bottom, enchanted sleep still excersizing its hold. He knew that it wouldn’t be much longer until the bonds that weighted him in unconcsiousness snapped and he would be released.

His glove now lay next to the pool’s edge and his fingers danced on the still surface. It took minimal effort to make the drops of water from his fingers fly into the air and still as they caught the weak sunlight that attempted to drive the chill from the room.

He stayed there for a few moments more before allowing the water to cascade back to the pool, rippling the still surface in greeting.

“I truly am sorry, Ashura-ou,” he whispered harshly. Tears stung his eyes for a reason only his subconscious knew. His smile left his face and he stared at his reflection, imposed over the still form of his king. “I really am.”

He turned slowly and left the room. He made a left in the corridor and continued on until he reached a black door. He methodically undid the charms that held the door closed, tracing them with his bare finger, feeling the persistant stinging that all powerful charms carried.

The door opened after a moment and he strode inside, careful to close the door behind him. He didn’t need an audience to witness this confrontation.

+++

He cursed as another enchantment curled around his leg, coaxing the circulation to slow. He quickly retraced the charm and disbanded it before the numbness permeated more than just his lower leg.

The staircase, he had forgotten, had been enchanted, as well, in preperation for anyone that had successfully broken through the latticework of spells on the door. He sat on the steps and gently rubbed his leg in an attempt to cajole the blood to return and banish the pins and needles that assaulted his calf.

He carefully regarded the rest of the stairwell. He figured he was about halfway through, maybe a little more, but that was all he knew. He had completely forgotten the spells and their locations that encased the path he needed to travel to reach the tower.

Briefly, he considered turning back. He could just leave the search to Syaoran and Kurogane, but he knew that the only thing the townspeople would be able to tell them would be myth and story. Only three people knew of the whereabouts of the feather- one was dead, another asleep, and the last, trapped in a tower overlooking the snow-covered landscape.

He stood and continued down the path. Sakura needed this feather, he told himself. Syaoran risked his life many times over to find these fragments. The least he could do is face his past and try to locate the shard of missing memory, he thought.

Another enchantment attempted to ensnare him, but he quickly dissolved it. He could see the tower door up ahead. Only a few feet to go.

He reached the door within minutes. Charms and disbanding them had always been a strength of his.

The door was pale blue and he could see a web of translucent webs covering it out of the corner of his eye. He sighed. He hadn’t helped with any of the enchantments in this corner of the castle- Taishakuten had handled them- and the one time he had been here to see the one who lived there, Ashura had undone the final enchantment.

He studied the pattern, averting his eyes to get a better idea of the intricate framework. He closed his eyes and studied the latticework of charms in his mind, meticulously going through every possibly starting point until he found the one that made the most sense, and was consequently the hardest.

“Never were one to make things easy, were you, Taishakuten-san?” he mused aloud. He lifted his hand and brought his finger to the starting point. Slowly, he traced the design, watching carefully as the beginning of it unravelled. 

It took five minutes to undo the charm and he dropped his hand with a weary sigh. He stared at the door for a minute more before he pushed into the room.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Fai-san,” a soft voice called.

Fai stilled. The voice seemed to surround him and he couldn’t pinpoint the location of the speaker. “Of course you have, Kuyou-san,” he replied calmly. “Would you mind showing yourself?”

He felt more than he saw her appear. She sat in a chair by the window, looking out onto the barren world stretched before it. Her silver hair flowed among the straight backing of her seat, the ends of the wintry strands flirting with dusty ground.

“You look well,” he said. She hadn’t aged a day since the last time he saw her nearly twenty years ago. “I assume you know why I’m here,” he added.

The woman nodded and her hair fluttered with the movement. “You seek that which he ordered banished,” she stated calmly.

Fai nodded, even though he knew she couldn’t see the movement. Chances were she had known the way this conversation would unfold years ago. He need not say anything more than what was required.

“He will wake soon,” she warned idly. “You know this, and you wish to be elsewhere when this happens.”

Another nod. He couldn’t deny the truth, not to her.

“Very well. You will not find the what you’re looking for in a far off location,” she revealed. “It is very close. It lies within his tomb, sheilded by the magic of those who would protect him. It is in the care of the one who cares for him most. It is he whom you need convince that you’ve no ulterior motive.”

Fai frowned. “What do you mean?” he asked.

“I have told you what you need to know,” she replied evenly. “But be warned that the unveiling of such strong magic will draw those you thought defeated back.”

+++

He stood on the training field, bow held in his hands. He adjusted his stance and let the arrow fly toward the target.

“Perfect aim, as usual,” a voice spoke from behind him.

Another arrow flew, splitting his in half. He turned around.

“Presea,” he greeted.

“Fai.” She paused and he could feel her eyes on him as he moved back into stance. “He won’t stay asleep forever.”

The arrow glided through the air and hit the target. “I know.”

“You’ll tire quicker with that form,” she pointed out.

He shrugged. “A weapon must have no weakness, Presea. You taught me that.”

“I also taught you that your life is just as important as his,” she spat. “You did what the situation warranted; no more, no less.”

“What I did also warrants my death,” Fai mused lightly. “But then, a tool that outgrows its use is worthless.”

She shook her head. “Did you return only to allow yourself to die?”

Smiling. Always smiling. “Of course not. I came back because Celes was destined to be next,” he replied. 

She regarded him with sad eyes, and he looked away. “You’re guests have returned,” she announced. “The tall broody one wants to speak with you.”

“Ah. You met Kuro-rin?” He began to make his way to the weaponry. “Could you tell him that I’ll see him at dinner? I don’t feel like talking to him right now.”

He watched Presea smirk from the corner of his eye.

“Tell him yourself,” she said, voice heavy with amusement. “He’s behind you.” With that, she left.

Fai swore under his breath and replaced the bow on its peg. He surveyed the weapons and chose one of the longswords. He inspected the blade, nodding in satisfaction.

“Spar with me, Kuro-pon?”

Footsteps answered his question, and he watched as Kurogane carefully chose a sword. Once he had found one to his liking, Fai led him back outside.


End file.
